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controlling vicodin
Been taking Vicodin for a year now. Was perscribed for neck,back and arthritis pain.Had neck and back surgeries,which turned out good,but still have pain.Script is for5/500 1 every 6 hours as needed.I usually take 3 a day,never 4, sometimes 2.Script would last 15 days, I don't need a refill untill 23-26 days.I was going to controll them, not them controling me. I thought I was doing a good job of that,doctor has no problem with me,but the nurse does. I have a hard time getting a new script from her.Does she have the right,or am I not doing as good as I think
Well it sounds like you are truly controlling them if you are only taking 50 to 75 percent of what is prescribed and you truly have pain and are not taking them because they just make you feel better in other ways. If you are having problems with the nurse getting the prescription and are going in to the doctors office for every refill and not just calling into the office for refills (yes some doctors do this) then just explain your concern to the doctor and see if he will fax the prescription himself for your or depending on your states CIII laws have him write out the prescription and sign it for you. I am not sure any states require printed scripts with doctors signature for schedule 3 drugs. My state does not so they can be faxed to a pharmacy but other states my be stricter and differ.
As for dealing directly with the nurse you may have luck nicely explaining to her how you are taking them, how many you get per script and how many you can take per day. Then ask her to look up your last fill date in their computer system (your doctor gets a note from the pharmacy when you schedule 3 drug was filled). Her reluctance may be due to assuming you are calling in a day or two early as many many people do. It could be a simple oversight/assumption on her part that is causing the problem and with most offices overworked and understaffed looking up everyones file to check fill dates as soon as you call in. It is usually a process that takes 24 hours or so. If it seems like the above doesn't work and she is still running late getting your script then simply call in 24-48 hours before running out of meds to allow them to work through their backlog. If she flat out tells you that you are taking too much of the medication then it's time to sit down with her and the doctor and have a talk. Your doctor is prescribing it, as long as you are taking it for pain you are in no way abusing it and I applaud you for that as I myself do not abuse but if the doctor is fine with your refill date the nurse does not have the qualification to make a determination about how much medication you take or how quickly you take it. As stated you are not over using it which again I applaud. I have severe low back and a pinched bilaterally pinched S1 with radiulapothy (sp?) nerve that went undiagnosed for two years and is now damaged so I too have had a few back surgeries and ended up with an implanted stimulation unit but it only provides around 35-40 percent relief unfortunately as the test unit they implanted was almost double that but lead placement is so critical that being off by millimeters makes a huge difference. My doctors have told me that I will require long term (lifetime) opiate treatment to lean a somewhat normal life. Personally I take more than I would like to but not more than prescribed but it's what I need to be able to walk decently and have any quality of life with my young children. I have cut it back as far as I can and have convinced myself that at times I just have to take a break so the pain doesn't get out of control. I have taken so many prescription NSAIDS it ate my stomach up to the point they wont put me back on them along with trying every other non opiate option to no avail. But as said I am glad to hear you use it as needed and do not abuse it and those who do abuse make it hard for those of us who truly need it to obtain these medications.
That last statement about those who abuse it is not intended to offend anyone. I understand that some can get a high from these drugs, luckily enough I personally just get very nauseated from them no matter how long I have been on them so unless I feel like throwing up I have no incentive to abuse but I do not pass judgement on those who do. I went through a few years before my injury that I drank way too much alcohol way too frequently so I have battled addiction and with the support of my wife and family I was able to put the bottle down. I fell off the wagon a few times on the way but I made it. These days, due to my medication I will have a 4 ounce glass of beer on my birthday and on New Years eve with permission of my wife and even at those times I don't really have the urge to drink and often don't finish them but I feel I have made my way to being sober. I think the biggest factor for me was the fact that I did not want my kids growing up seeing me with a drink in my hand all of the time. My main point in this last paragraph is I am not passing judgement on anyone here with any addication and I am not super human and have battled it myself so I don't hold myself above anyone here just because I can't catch a buzz from my pain meds. My poison just came in a different form and my demons were a bit different but it was a vise just the same. I wish all here the best in recovering from whatever you are trying to recover from. When you make it you will actually find your bad days without your poison is actually better than your best days when you are on your way to hitting bottom with your poison. I know I never miss waking up hung over. You kinda get used to it but man do I feel great when I wake up now that I don't drink.
As for dealing directly with the nurse you may have luck nicely explaining to her how you are taking them, how many you get per script and how many you can take per day. Then ask her to look up your last fill date in their computer system (your doctor gets a note from the pharmacy when you schedule 3 drug was filled). Her reluctance may be due to assuming you are calling in a day or two early as many many people do. It could be a simple oversight/assumption on her part that is causing the problem and with most offices overworked and understaffed looking up everyones file to check fill dates as soon as you call in. It is usually a process that takes 24 hours or so. If it seems like the above doesn't work and she is still running late getting your script then simply call in 24-48 hours before running out of meds to allow them to work through their backlog. If she flat out tells you that you are taking too much of the medication then it's time to sit down with her and the doctor and have a talk. Your doctor is prescribing it, as long as you are taking it for pain you are in no way abusing it and I applaud you for that as I myself do not abuse but if the doctor is fine with your refill date the nurse does not have the qualification to make a determination about how much medication you take or how quickly you take it. As stated you are not over using it which again I applaud. I have severe low back and a pinched bilaterally pinched S1 with radiulapothy (sp?) nerve that went undiagnosed for two years and is now damaged so I too have had a few back surgeries and ended up with an implanted stimulation unit but it only provides around 35-40 percent relief unfortunately as the test unit they implanted was almost double that but lead placement is so critical that being off by millimeters makes a huge difference. My doctors have told me that I will require long term (lifetime) opiate treatment to lean a somewhat normal life. Personally I take more than I would like to but not more than prescribed but it's what I need to be able to walk decently and have any quality of life with my young children. I have cut it back as far as I can and have convinced myself that at times I just have to take a break so the pain doesn't get out of control. I have taken so many prescription NSAIDS it ate my stomach up to the point they wont put me back on them along with trying every other non opiate option to no avail. But as said I am glad to hear you use it as needed and do not abuse it and those who do abuse make it hard for those of us who truly need it to obtain these medications.
That last statement about those who abuse it is not intended to offend anyone. I understand that some can get a high from these drugs, luckily enough I personally just get very nauseated from them no matter how long I have been on them so unless I feel like throwing up I have no incentive to abuse but I do not pass judgement on those who do. I went through a few years before my injury that I drank way too much alcohol way too frequently so I have battled addiction and with the support of my wife and family I was able to put the bottle down. I fell off the wagon a few times on the way but I made it. These days, due to my medication I will have a 4 ounce glass of beer on my birthday and on New Years eve with permission of my wife and even at those times I don't really have the urge to drink and often don't finish them but I feel I have made my way to being sober. I think the biggest factor for me was the fact that I did not want my kids growing up seeing me with a drink in my hand all of the time. My main point in this last paragraph is I am not passing judgement on anyone here with any addication and I am not super human and have battled it myself so I don't hold myself above anyone here just because I can't catch a buzz from my pain meds. My poison just came in a different form and my demons were a bit different but it was a vise just the same. I wish all here the best in recovering from whatever you are trying to recover from. When you make it you will actually find your bad days without your poison is actually better than your best days when you are on your way to hitting bottom with your poison. I know I never miss waking up hung over. You kinda get used to it but man do I feel great when I wake up now that I don't drink.
I was on pain management for a back injury and was able to quit VicodinES over 6 months ago. The drug itself caused me to stop it and learn to live without it. My primary care doctor of many years is also a good friend. When I asked him to up my script another 30 a month he said "that's a lot of Vicodin. I was hoping you'd start to cut back". That's when I stopped, with his help, and the help of the good people here on this site.
I got Vicodin, and then Vicodin got me. I was just looking at the info sheet that came with my Vicodin script: It reads: Use this medication exactly as prescribed. Do not increase your dose, take it more frequently or use it for a longer period of time than prescribed because this drug can be habit-forming. Also, if used for an extended period of time, do not suddenly stop using this drug without your doctor's approval. When used for an extended period, this medication may not work as well and may require different dosing. Talk with your doctor if this medication stops working well.
I did ALL of the above; I increased, abused it, got good and hooked - the whole nine yards. I started wondering how I could get even more than the extra 30 my doctor reluctantly prescribed. So, with a spark of the divine, I got off that train the very next stop thank God.
I wish you the best, and I hope your pain gets better.
I got Vicodin, and then Vicodin got me. I was just looking at the info sheet that came with my Vicodin script: It reads: Use this medication exactly as prescribed. Do not increase your dose, take it more frequently or use it for a longer period of time than prescribed because this drug can be habit-forming. Also, if used for an extended period of time, do not suddenly stop using this drug without your doctor's approval. When used for an extended period, this medication may not work as well and may require different dosing. Talk with your doctor if this medication stops working well.
I did ALL of the above; I increased, abused it, got good and hooked - the whole nine yards. I started wondering how I could get even more than the extra 30 my doctor reluctantly prescribed. So, with a spark of the divine, I got off that train the very next stop thank God.
I wish you the best, and I hope your pain gets better.
When I first say your post title, I thought to myself..."now that's an oxymoron", because I could never control vicoden over a period of time, it always wound up controlling me.
I am not saying that it is not possible, especially with pain management situations as yours. I just defer to the addictive personality that a lot us represent on this site and eventually we wind up in a bad place....if you are not there yet, I think there may be something inside you sending warning signals which causes you to even ask. The nurse may be doing you more a favor than you realize in the long term. If you are taking less the prescription, then it should last longer than the time period and thus no problem for refills.
I am not saying that it is not possible, especially with pain management situations as yours. I just defer to the addictive personality that a lot us represent on this site and eventually we wind up in a bad place....if you are not there yet, I think there may be something inside you sending warning signals which causes you to even ask. The nurse may be doing you more a favor than you realize in the long term. If you are taking less the prescription, then it should last longer than the time period and thus no problem for refills.
It depends, are you calling to have your prescrption refilled earlier? Maybe she is aware of how people can become depended on it and she is only concerned about you. Just a suggestion!
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